


Hating Half of Him

by xGalaxyQueenx



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, DJ wifi, F/M, LadyNoir - Freeform, Peacock Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Reveal Fic, They are all salty university students, chlonath
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-01-09 09:56:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12274044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xGalaxyQueenx/pseuds/xGalaxyQueenx
Summary: Two confessions, one screw up and Marinette leaving the country was all it took for Adrien to figure out she was secretly Ladybug all along. Not that he could do much about it now. One year and multiple reveals later, Adrien, Alya, Nino, Nathaniel and Chloé have got this superhero best friends thing down. That is until Ladybug returns to Paris and they have to decide just how they are going to tell her the truth about what they know. The problem? Her identity is one secret that Marinette refuses to let go.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there!
> 
>  _A quick warning:_ This is an AU fic that is canon compliant up to the end of Season 1 but it differs majorly from certain things from Season 2. However, there will be references and spoilers from the second season because I am trash for it so read at your own risk. 
> 
> _Sidenote:_ Some people have commented that they cannot read the messenger conversations between the characters. I have no idea why, as it is just some HTML editing using an AO3 skin - not an image file. You can turn it off using one of the buttons at the top, but it does ruin the formatting.  
>  Alternatively, this fic is crossposted to my Fanfiction.net account, which some have found easier, and can be found [ here. ](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12677685/1/Hating-Half-of-Him)

**"I love you."**

Ladybug and Chat Noir were sat together at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It had become their favourite place to hang out after they had finished patrolling the city together. They loved seeing the spread of the city below them, especially late at night like this when the moon was bright, and the lights were shining. Paris was more beautiful than they had ever seen it. As if it knew that this was the last time Ladybug was going to see it. At least for a little while.

Chat Noir wasn't looking at the view though. His eyes were solely on the girl beside him, with her hair blowing wild around her face in the wind and the excitement evident in her face as she pointed out various landmarks or gushed over how  _small_ the people and the cars and buildings were from up there. A smile ghosted his lips, knowing that if she were leaving, he would have to memorise the way she looked at that moment and hold on to that memory until the day she returned to him.

"Chaton?" Ladybug asked, turning her head and gazing at him with those bright blue eyes of hers. The words just tumbled from his lips before he could stop as he regarded her with sincerity.

"I know you think I'm always joking and messing around with it, but I do love you. I have done ever since we met all those years ago."

It wasn't often that it was just the two of them now. Papillon had been defeated over a year ago now, and Nooroo and the Butterfly Miraculous were taking a well-deserved break in the box in Nino's care. They had done it with the help of their team, Queen B, La Paon, Rena Rouge and Carapace. Chat Noir loved them all to pieces, but he would never be able to deny that he missed the days when it was just Ladybug and him – the ultimate team. Moments, when they could just be alone like this, were so precious to him.

"Chat… I…"

Ladybug wasn't leaving forever, and he knew that. She had been vague on the details, as a part of her determination to hide her identity from the others. He just knew that she would be gone for about a year because she was studying abroad and Chat had been encouraging her to go, knowing from the look on her face when she spoke about it just how much it meant to her. Paris would be safe with him and the others, and she could stretch her wings a little without the responsibility. But he was going to miss her, and his heart was aching with just the thought of her going somewhere he couldn't follow.

"I'm in love with someone else,"

Those blue eyes filled with so much sympathy as she spoke the words that sent a knife through Chat Noir's heart. It wasn't something he was expecting – rejection, sure, but this was an apology. It meant he wasn't as good as someone else, that the woman who had all this trust and love and support had put that into someone else. That she valued someone else more, even after all they had been through together. He bit back the tears that began to sting his eyes and nodded, putting on the smile that he knew she loved.

"I get it," he said, because what was the point of her being sad about it. Ladybug was allowed to like someone else, and he knew that he shouldn't feel entitled to her affections. It was his problem to sort out now, not hers. She deserved to be happy, regardless of who it was with.

"He doesn't know though," she blurted out as if that was going to make it any better. "This is the last time I'm going to see him as well at the party I'm supposed to be at right now, and then he will probably forget all about me while I'm away."

"How could anyone forget you, M'lady," Chat Noir said quietly, "You should tell him you know? You don't have a lot of time left and then maybe you will have something to return for?"

"Oh, Chaton." Ladybug reached for his hand, which he took and brought to his lips to kiss, "I already have something to return for."

Those words were so full of promise and hope, but they rang hollow on his broken heart. They bid farewell to each other soon after with a tight hug and a lingering stare. Ladybug had laughed because she loved the fact that they were both returning to a party and he loved her even more for it. Chat had watched her fly away from him, swinging from building to building and he sighed, knowing now that he just had to figure out how to let her go.

* * *

**"I love you."**

It felt as if their entire school was crammed into Nino's house for their last hurrah before everyone went their separate ways to University or College or, as in Marinette's case, New York for a once in a lifetime fashion apprenticeship with Adrien's father's company. They were all so proud of her.

Adrien honestly wanted to do anything but return to the party after he had left Ladybug. His nerves were frayed, and he felt sensitive. It was too loud, too crowded, and all he wanted to do was go home and curl up on his bed with ice cream and reality tv for a few hours. The tension built up inside of him, the desire to escape strong, so when Marinette pulled him aside a little after midnight – Adrien was ready to snap.

"Marinette?"

They were stood in Nino's bedroom, Marinette's cheeks flushed as she looked at the floor, Nino's music faintly thudding in the background. The words had spilt from Marinette's lips the moment they were alone. How dare she choose now to tell him.

"I just had to tell you," Marinette stuttered, not able to make eye contact with him the way she used to, "before I left. I… just had to make sure that you knew."

Adrien could tell by the way she flinched when she finally managed to look at his face, that his expression had turned cold.

"You don't think I realised that you fancied me?" he said, his tone harsher than he would have wanted, "it took you so long to even talk to me like a normal human being. You love the idea of being with me, just like everyone else that I've ever met. That isn't 'love'. That's obsession, and I am  _sick_ of it."

"You don't have to love me back," Marinette said quietly, wrapping her arms around her stomach. She was visibly shaking, biting back tears.

"I know what love is," Adrien snapped at her, "trust me, Marinette, whatever you feel isn't what I do."

Taking that as a cue, Marinette ran out of the room. Adrien took a second to compose himself before he followed her out, realising the minute the door had shut after her that that had been an awful thing to say to her. Ladybug would have been ashamed of him, Mari was his friend after all. He cared for her, and now he had ruined her last few hours in Paris. He didn't know he had it in him to be so mean.

Adrien left the room calling out Marinette's name. Downstairs, the party had continued – the music distractingly loud, drowning him out, and the drinks flowed freely among the other guests. Nino and Alya stood to one side talking quietly, their expressions subdued. They looked up as he walked over to them, Nino shaking his head. The disappointment was evident, and that added a whole new layer of hurt and guilt to the feelings Adrien already had.

"She's gone bro, her parents picked her up," he said. Adrien flopped against the wall next to them, leaning close so he could hear what Nino was saying, "what did you do?"

Adrien sighed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. Marinette had left. Ladybug had left. They had both gone far away to places where he wasn't supposed to follow now. Ladybug had probably confessed to the person she loved at the party she was supposed to be at, on his advice. Marinette was going to be getting a plane later that night to a far-off country, and he wasn't even going to get the chance to apologise because she was going to be leaving for a year. Ladybug had looked so beautiful, the wind blowing through her pigtails like that. Marinette's hair had looked windswept when she had spoken to him earlier, and her heartbreak shone through those eyes of her - the bright blue that was just so much like Ladybug's eyes. Marinette had just left a party after being rejected by the person she confessed to, hours after he had encouraged Ladybug to confess her love. Adrien's head was swimming, Marinette and Ladybug's images become mixed up in his mind, and he frowned, trying to sort it out in his mind.

"Adrien?" Alya touched his shoulder gently, and he turned to look at the two of them in horror.

"I've fucked up," he said, "I have really, really, fucked up."


	2. Get Adrien a Girlfriend 2k19

**One Year Later...**

* * *

Messenger

Get Adrien A Girlfriend 2k19

One Foxy Mama named the group Get Adrien a Girlfriend 2k19  
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle set the nickname for Adrien Agreste to The 5th Wheel

**One Foxy Mama**  
Morning all! :)

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
i stg this time of day should not exist  
Babe idk who u are saying morning too  
Normal people are not awake at this time

**Peabrain**  
ugh  
i got up to pee and chloé’s taken over the bed  
fml  
guess I’m not a normal person then  
why are u two awake?

**One Foxy Mama**  
I have a meeting at 9 at the paper

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
I have to drive her to that meeting

**One Foxy Mama**  
Correction, you have the PLEASURE of driving me to this meeting ^^

**Peabrain**  
lol #whipped

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
lmao you can talk

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
If you aren’t coming back to bed go away because that light is annoying af

**One Foxy Mama**  
And good morning to you too Chloé

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
Dude you are legit in the same room, right?

**Peabrain**  
yah

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
wtf is wrong with verbal communication

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
Typing is easier than talking

**Peabrain**  
You want me to go and get you some coffee chlo?

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
Obviously  
I’m awake aren’t I  
Is that not the next obvious move?  
And don’t you dare use that instashit again I bought that coffee maker specifically for mornings like this

**Peabrain**  
brb

**One Foxy Mama**  
lol #Whipped

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
you know it ;)

**The 5th Wheel**  
wtf is the title of this chat????  
I don't NEED a girlfriend  
is that what this world has come to now?  
smh

* * *

Adrien woke up just in time to catch his mobile before it vibrated off the bedside table and onto the floor. He glared at it, the constant buzzing from the messages having disturbed a rather exciting dream that he had already begun to forget. Turning the screen on and squinting at it, he sighed. It was only half past seven, a time not suitable for being awake when trying to enjoy the last two weeks of holiday, and he wasn’t massively impressed with anything the annoying little vibrating device was telling him.

Maybe it was just the grogginess of the early morning, but Adrien really could not be bothered with his friends continually reminding him that he was as single and alone as you could possibly be when you were in a friendship group of five with two couples. So, it was this he was grumbling about out loud as he typed out his reply.

* * *

Messenger

Get Adrien a Girlfriend 2k19

**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle**  
nobody needs a girlfriend dude  
We just want u to be happy

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
leave the boy alone

**The 5th Wheel**  
thanks chlo

**BuzzBuzzBuzz**  
Hes not getting laid, he’s bound to be uptight bout it.

**The 5th Wheel**  
CHLOÉ

* * *

He tossed his phone to the other side of the bed and rolled over, deciding that if he were going to be forced to read that sort of thing, then it would be better to do that after having a few more hours asleep. That was until the darn thing flashed up again, less than 30 seconds later, to indicate more messages coming through. Naturally, therefore, Adrien spent the next 30 seconds thrashing around in the dark and pulling up his duvet until he was completely and utterly wide awake with his mobile in his hands. Cursing at it, he unlocked it clumsily to turn off the notifications so he could put it under the bed and out of the way when Nathaniel’s latest message caught his eye, and he froze.

* * *

Messenger

Get Adrien a Girlfriend 2k19

**Peabrain**  
SPEAKING OF MARI  
did u guys check twitter yet?

* * *

No, Adrien was definitely not going to check twitter yet. He didn’t want to know how the conversation had reached that point, he was going back to sleep, and finger did not just press the twitter shortcut on his home screen. Marinette’s twitter handle was not readily available at the top of his search history, and he definitely wasn’t going to look to see what Nathaniel had been referring to. If anyone were to ask later, it was definitely a mistake when her page loaded, and he was scrolling down to see what her latest tweets were.

* * *

Twitter

**Marinette** @Mari_DC   
NY I will miss you, but I can't wait to be back on my home soil again! #ParisHereICome

* * *

Goddamn it. He really should have just gone back to sleep and left it alone and only maybe checked it later at a regular human time. Like an ordinary person who didn’t care what Marinette had to say 38 minutes ago while she was in a different country.

Adrien was interrupted from his internal brooding by audible groaning originating from the small shoebox he kept on his bedside table.

“Turn the light off!” Plagg whined, and Adrien could hear the little Kwami shifting around in his mess of small cushions, sheets and camembert wrappers. He just ignored him, holding the phone out in Plagg’s direction as if he cared enough to read it.

“Marinette is coming back to Paris,” Adrien grunted back at him, rubbing his eyes with his spare hand. Plagg squinted over the edge of the box at him.

“So?” he said.

“So?!”   

“What’s the big deal? You knew Marinette was coming back to Paris.”

“I didn’t know that she was going to be back _today_ , though, did I?” Adrien said, “Like Marinette is going to be in the country this evening at least. Don’t you know what that means?”

“I can’t think properly about it until I’ve had breakfast,” Plagg said, and smacked his lips together, turning back into his bed to search out crumbs of cheese. Not that this deterred Adrien from continuing, his voice a little higher pitched than usual.

“It means Marinette is going to be at Alya and Nino’s house-warming party, whenever that will be, and I’m going to have to actually talk to her. And that means that Ladybug is going to be on patrol and I’m going to have to talk to _her_ as well.”

“Do we have any camembert up here?”

Adrien ignored him and kicked the rest of the duvet off, sliding out of bed. He dumped his phone next to Plagg’s shoebox, not wanting to read the steady flow of Facebook messages that just kept coming through (though he did refresh Marinette’s twitter feed before he put his phone down). Seeing as the idea of sleep was now a thing of the past, he thought he might as well take a long shower and try to repress the weird and complicated feelings before they rose to the surface.

As of this coming Thursday, it would be exactly 365 days since he had last spoken to or seen Marinette. Coincidentally that was the approximate number of times he thought about her and relived their last conversation each day, and that was all he could think about when he plodded into the bathroom, stripped off and let the hot water scold his skin. 

He needed to call Alya or something. He needed to calm down and stop being such a mess about the whole thing, stop thinking about the words he had said, or the dozens of messages that were currently left on ‘read’ with no reply. Marinette was probably over it all by now, so it wasn’t going to do any good if he was brooding about what had happened. He groaned and started planning on when he would have a chance to nap and what meal he could have for lunch that didn’t require anything but a microwave.

It took Adrien over an hour to actually get around to calling Alya. In the meantime, he had dressed and combed through his hair, only to then get distracted by a few books that had been lying around in his room that he suddenly felt compelled to put away. Plagg was appeased when he ran down to restock the Kwami’s cheese supply, which stopped him moaning about being woken up so early for stupid reasons. After this, Adrien managed to trip over a university folder that had been left out from the other day, and finally got around to sorting his remaining notes – a task he had been putting off for the majority of the summer. Eventually, however, there was nothing more to do, so he sat staring at his phone for several minutes until Plagg got bored and ended up pressing the call button for him. 

Alya answered on the first ring.

“Adrien? You have literally got 30 seconds before I go into this very important meeting and hang up on you so this better be important!”

Adrien stood up from his bed and began pacing in front of it.

“Why didn’t you tell me Marinette was coming back to Paris today?”

“Oh… um…” Alya paused for a moment, “I didn’t know exactly when she was coming back, okay? Literally, every time we skyped, she had forgotten the flight details or misplaced her tickets. I thought she was planning on flying back next week or something until I saw her twitter this morning. I didn’t want to stress you out about it until I knew the exact dates. We all knew it was going to be around this time, right?”

Of course, Adrien was trying to be chill and pretend that he hadn’t mentally been counting down the days since she had left. He had just assumed he might have had more time to mentally prepare himself for it.

“Was just surprised, that’s all,” he said, putting on his most relaxed voice possible.

“You and me both babe,” Alya mused, “I sent her a message, and I’ll call her later probably. You doing okay?”

“What do you think, Allie, really.”

“I think you are probably pacing in front of your bed right now, stressing out while Plagg eats cheese.”

Adrien stopped and stood still, spinning to look at Plagg who was halfway through a wheel of camembert and getting it all over his sheets.

“I’m not pacing!”

“Liar,” Alya said, though he could tell from her tone that she was amused, “we’ve talked about this Adrien. Marinette hasn’t even mentioned you in months. It will be all back to normal in no time!”

“Well, at least someone is optimistic about it.”

“Oh, you aren’t too bad. I just got off the phone with Chloé, and now I have to go shopping with her.”

“You know she plays up her issues to guilt you into shopping, right?” Adrien said, giving a short laugh, “She does the same with Nathaniel all the time.”

“Yeah, I know.” Alya chuckled on the other end of the phone but was interrupted by someone calling her name. “Look I gotta go, I’ll call Mari when she lands and get the lowdown there and then we can all have Pizza at Nath’s or something, discuss a game plan then?”

“Alright fine, have fun at your meeting.”

“Yep! I’ll text you later. Love you, Bye!”

And with that, Alya hung up, and Adrien was left feeling only marginally better than he did before. He walked back over to the bed and flopped on it, avoiding Plagg’s mess as much as possible, and wondered how socially acceptable it would be if he just hibernated for the rest of the day.

Plagg flew closer to him, licking his lips and stinking of cheese. Adrien pulled a face at him, wafting his hands to try and get Plagg to maintain some distance.

“Have you forgotten that Ladybug is also returning?” Plagg said, dodging his arms and circling around his head once.

“Ladybug is mad at me as well, it’s not as if that makes much of a difference,” Adrien said, grunting into his sheet.

“Yeah, but look on the bright side! Neither of them are mad at Chat Noir!”

“But I’m Chat Noir, so Marinette is just not going to realise that she is mad at me when I have cat ears.” He sighed, this was giving him a headache.

“Should give up on girls,” Plagg said, butting his head against Adrien’s hair. He reached out and scratched Plagg’s head affectionately. “Cheese is better.”

“You know, I’m beginning to think you are right about that one.”

* * *

The rest of the day was long and lonely. It consisted of his typical daily gym workout, some sort of fitting for GABRIEL, microwavable mac n cheese, a nap and constant denial about how often he had checked Twitter to see if Marinette had posted, even though he was well aware that she was spending her day on a plane. As per Alya’s instructions, when she had texted him that afternoon as promised, Adrien had ended up at Nathaniel’s loft that evening and was sitting cross-legged on the single armchair, eating Chinese food out of a takeaway box with chopsticks. Nathaniel had put on some sort of crappy movie, but none of them were really paying much attention to it. The five Kwamis were all sat on the coffee table keeping themselves occupied by the bowls of treats that had been prepared for them, courtesy of Chloé.

“Are we not allowed to eat at your place yet then, Allie?” Chloé asked casually as she walked back over from the kitchen area, carrying a tray of drinks for them.

“We still have boxes upon boxes to unpack,” Alya replied with a groan, reaching out for her Pepsi, “It’s a bloody tip.”

“That and Nath lives closer to the good Chinese place,” Nino said, grinning around a mouthful of food. Nathaniel looked over at him, mournfully.

“Your new place is closer to the good Pizza place, though right?”

“Dude, we have Chinese food, get over it already!” 

“Yeah. We had a vote,” Adrien said, “four of us wanted Pizza, and Chloé wanted Chinese so.” He held up his container as evidence.

“As if I would eat something as common as Pizza?” Chloé said, flicking a strand of golden hair over her shoulder. Nathaniel patted her leg gently and nodded, leaving Adrien to wonder when the last time Nath had been allowed to consume ‘common’ food.

“Yet eating Chinese food on a couch covered in paint _très chic_?”

They all laughed.

Nathaniel lived in a studio loft overlooking the Seine. It was, for want of a better word, full of character, with a mismatched chair and settee squashed into one corner near an old TV. Two beanbags, already bursting at the seams, were available to compensate for the lack of seating if you didn’t mind the slight smell of stale food. There was a small kitchen area off to the side that was barely big enough for one person, but it was impeccably clean due to Chloé’s abhorrence of leaving pots and plates unwashed for than an hour. Under the staircase, which stood to the side of the room leading up to his bed, was Nath’s sketching table and art supplies. Everything else in that place was covered in half-finished canvases. Even the wall was crammed full of different sketches as Nathaniel immortalised the adventures of the Miraculous Superheroes in comic form.  

Adrien loved it here. It was far more personal and warm in comparison to his own bedroom back in the Agreste Mansion. He suspected Chloé thought so too, seeing as she spent a lot more time here than in her suite back at the hotel, and bitched a lot less about the mess than he would have expected.

“Oh, you think the Pizza thing is bad?” Alya said, grinning, “I tried to make her go into a store that didn’t stock designer labels earlier, and I was actually terrified that she was going to punch me!”

“That shop only stocked polyester clothing! It was horrific!” Chloé returned, daintily eating a mouthful of food.

“Oh no, not polyester,” Nino said dryly, clasping one hand over his mouth and waving his form about in mock horror until he almost stabbed Alya.

“Back me up here model boy!”

Adrien gave a dramatic sigh.

“Alya it is obvious to me that Chloé was only doing her superhero duties and saving you from herself.”

Someone’s phone buzzed, interrupting the conversation and they all automatically reached for the table or into pockets to check their devices. It was Alya who had actually received the message, as per usual, and after skimming it herself, she held her phone out for the rest of the group to see.

* * *

Messenger

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng**  
Hey Alya! I’m back in Paris safe and sound. Sorry I missed your call! Can’t wait to see you and Nino and check out the new flat. They put me on an earlier flight and there was a bit of a rush or I would have messaged you before. I barely remembered to call Papa to come and pick me up! But anyway, living with a BOY, that has got to be strange lol. I think I need like a day to just sleep it off but then we have to meet up and have coffee or something! Are you free on Sunday? Talk to you soon xxx

* * *

“Ugh, she even rambles on Facebook,” Chloé said, rolling her eyes. It earned her a slight glare from Nathaniel. “What?”

“Play nice,” he said, putting his now-empty takeout box on the table in front of him and leaning back on the sofa, casually looping an arm around Chloé’s shoulders.

“I’m just saying it’s called instant messenger for a reason.” Chloé huffed in reply and folded her arms across her chest. She naturally leant into him though, probably without even thinking about it.

“Oh yeah?” Nathaniel said, “and how many x’s and o’s do you sign your messages with, hm?”

“What? I get no kisses from Chloé when she texts me. Just orders,” Alya cut in.

“She just likes me more than you, Allie,” Nathaniel smirked at her.

“Dude, obviously,” Nino said, the last one still eating his dinner and talking through a mouthful of food, “They are sleeping together.”

“Chloé gives me kisses,” Adrien said, twisting the chopsticks in his hands, happy to move the conversation away from Marinette for the time being. “And we are definitely not sleeping together.”

“Good to know,” Nath added.

“Gross!” Chloé pulled a face at that, “I don’t want to sleep with Adrien.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Nino said, “I mean, look at the boy. He works out and has skin softer than a baby’s arse.”

Four pairs of eyes turned to Adrien, who just flashed them his model smile as his friends ogled him for a solid 30 seconds. He would like to pretend that this was the first time this conversation had happened, but it was all too familiar.

“Show of hands, who here would bang Adrien if they were single, of that orientation sexually and didn’t know how long he takes brooding in the shower?” Nino continued. Everyone’s hands went up – Chloé’s was propped by Nathaniel, but they all took it as a vote anyway.

“Adrien! You can’t bang yourself, that’s not how this works,” Alya said, reaching over to him from her beanbag to try and pull his arm back down.”

“Alya, I have a hand and no girlfriend,” Adrien said, maintaining the fake smile as they all pulled faces at him, “I am an expert at banging myself – take that as you will.”

Nino scoffed into his food.

“Hashtag get Adrien a girlfriend 2k19?” Nathaniel piped up.

“I can’t believe I let you sleep with me,” Chloé said, smacking her forehead and then his arm. 

“Didn’t you want to sleep with Adrien like all the way through Lycée, Chloé?” Alya asked her.

“Ehhhh, not really,” Chloé replied, “I wanted to sleep with Ladybug through most of Lycée. I fancied Adrien a bit in Collége though.”

“Yeah, you and half of France!” Nino grinned.

“Speaking of Ladybug,” Nathaniel said, gesturing to Alya’s phone in an attempt to steer the conversation towards slightly more important topics. “She still has absolutely no idea that we all know each other’s secret identities, does she?”

“I don’t even think she knows that we are friends with Chloé really,” Alya added, wincing slightly, “Let alone that we are secretly superheroes.”

“Yeah, super excited about that one,” Chloé said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Adrien pursed his lips. He was constantly getting wrapped up in his own issues and forgetting that Chloé had many insecurities about the same situation. She had treated Marinette horribly in the past, and seeing as it had taken the rest of them finding out that she was actually Queen Bee to fully warm up and forgive her in their civilian lives, she was expecting a cold reception when Marinette came back. Chloé was probably the only other person in the world dreading the looming reunion.

“It is going to be weird,” Nathaniel said, once again squeezing Chloé just that little bit tighter, “we’re all going to have to pretend we don’t know each other in our superhero forms until she figures it out.”

“Is she even going to want to know?” Alya frowned, “this is Ladybug we are talking about – she was the one who used to go on about keeping our identities secret all the time.”

“Kind of ironic how we literally all figured out hers five minutes after she got on a plane then, really,” Nino said, finally having finished his takeaway and tossing the box onto the table, almost hitting Plagg with it.

“I can’t keep it a secret forever guys, sorry,” Alya said, shaking her head, “she’s my best friend. It was different before when it was just my secret to keep, and I didn’t want to let Ladybug down by telling anyone about it. But now we all know, and it’s like… you know,”

“You have been lying to her about it for months now,” Chloé reminded her.

“It’s not lying, just avoiding the truth. I should know the difference!” Alya held her Miraculous up as if to prove her point.

As if to reiterate what her wielder had just said, there was a peal of laughter originating from the Kwamis on the table, who had, up until this point, been quietly engaged in their own conversation. Now, however, Trixx was currently rolling on her back and clutching at her stomach while Plagg flew over to Adrien and landed in his hands groaning. He looked to be covered in the remains of Chinese food, with a string of onion draped across one eye. Wayzz, Duusu and Pollen were all watching and laughing in their own ways as well. Adrien grabbed a tissue from his bag and began to clean Plagg off, looking at him in slight bewilderment.

“SHE tried to convince me that the onion was a new form of cheese,” Plagg moaned, “She said it was even better than Camembert and I HATE onion!”

“You really shouldn’t fall for Trixx’s lies every time we have takeout,” Adrien grinned, patting Plagg’s head fondly, “Trixx, don’t be mean,”

“Funny though!” Trixx sniggered, attempting to compose herself by using Wayzz to lean on.

“There is more actual cheese in my bag,” Adrien said, looking back at Plagg who had zoomed off to find it before he had finished talking.

“If I may address your earlier conversation,” Wayzz said, side-eyeing Trixx who had taken to holding her breath to stifle the laughter, “I feel that it would be in everyone’s best interest to re-assimilate Ladybug back into the main group as soon as possible.”

“I miss Tikki,” Duusu added, rubbing her eyes, “It seems unfair for us to be all together and enjoying ourselves whilst she is alone.”

“Duusu, she’s not alone,” Nathaniel said, reaching for his own Kwami in concern, “she’s with Marinette. We know that. ” Duusu snuggled into his hand, her tail relaxed and spread prettily around on the table.

Adrien looked around at his team and their respective Kwamis, who all looked back at him for some sort of leadership. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to make it slightly more Chat Noir-like for confidence.

“I think we are all agreed that Marinette has to find out our secret identities, right?” There was a murmur of agreement from the group. “So, the only thing left to figure out is how we are going to do it and who is going to tell her?”

“Well that is easy enough dude, you are. Right?” Nino said as if that was obvious. The others nodded, and Adrien paled.

“Wait, what? Why do I have to do it?” he asked, receiving eight identical looks that all said, ‘you are kidding me right?’

“Bro you are Chat Noir, she’ll listen to you.”

“She hates me!”

“We don’t actually know if she still hates you or not,” Alya said, attempting to be helpful.

“Keyword there being ‘still,’ Alya.”

“Nah, this has to be you, Adrien,” Nathaniel said, “You are Ladybug and Chat Noir. Partners. If it isn’t, it would just feel wrong.”

“Besides,” Chloé added, “if you tell her, it gives you a good reason as to why you treated her like shit the night she left. Duh.” There was a moment of silence around the room, everyone looking at Adrien expectantly who was biting back a groan. “So… that is decided, right? Chat Noir is going to tell Ladybug that they are both really Adrien and Marinette and then we can all go on as we normally do?”

“Yeah that works for me?” Nino said. Alya and Nathaniel agreed.

“Great. That means you can all leave now because I’m exhausted, and I want to go to bed.” Chloé stood up, brushing non-existent crumbs from her skirt.

“Loving the subtlety Chlo,” Alya said. Nino pushed himself out of the beanbag chair and reaching down a hand to pull Alya out of hers with a grin. “I’m sure shopping in the peasant stores really wore you out,”

“We have patrol anyways,” Nino said, calling Wayzz to his side and transforming into Carapace in a flash of green light, “See you guys tomorrow night, usual place?”

Alya transformed into Rena Rouge moments after, bathing them all in a bright orange glow for a split second.  Adrien nodded, and the two of them said their goodbyes and slipped out of the loft’s window to make sure the city was safe and secure that evening.

Adrien grabbed his satchel, saying goodbye to Nath and Chloé and heading out the front door. Walking as a lot lamer than running across rooftops like his superhero friends, but it was a nice night, and Plagg was bitching about being too traumatised by onion to transform. It wasn’t a long walk, so he was just dealing with it.

It gave him more time to think about the topic which he had been thinking about for most of the day. He did know that they needed to tell Ladybug – but he had been hoping for a group reveal situation so he would have some moral support. However inappropriate that seemed.

Ladybug wasn’t going to let her secret go easily. In all the years Adrien had known her, she had never let him get further than asking before, and he couldn’t see how that would be any different. So, the question now was how to convince the inconvincible to let him reveal his identity, then how to somehow convince her to forgive him.


	3. S.O.S

Messenger

S.O.S

Adrikins named the group S.O.S

**Adrikins**  
GUYS WHERE ARE YOU  
HELP  
GUYS  
HELP ME  
I HAVE A PROBLEM  
112  
EMERGENCY  
THIS IS NOT A DRILL  
HELP ME!!!

**Chlobabe**  
???

**Nathynumnum**  
What is it?

**Allieangel**  
Did something happen?!?!

**alya's stud muffin**  
Bro, you okay??

**alya's stud muffin**  
it’s a bench dude  
Pretty hard to get trapped behind it.

**Adrikins**  
Marinette is sat on the bench. I’m crouching down behind her. It’s been 10 minutes and is now far too awkward to move.

**Chlobabe**  
LMAO

* * *

Adrien’s plan for the day had included a casual walk past the _Boulangerie Patisserie_ in the hopes that he might be able to get a glimpse of Marinette. It had been two days since she had returned to Paris and the anticipation of actually seeing her in person, accompanied by the fear that he might accidentally run into her and have to talk to her without preparing what he was going to say beforehand, was near enough killing him. Nathaniel had suggested that it might be a good idea if he went and stared at her from a distance to relieve some of the ‘oh crap Marinette’s back in Paris what do I do’ shock, and Adrien had agreed with him. Plagg had been bitching about him being a stalker for most of the morning, but as the Kwami would accompany Adrien into a volcano if he thought he was going to get some cheese at the end of it, he soon shut up.

However, when he arrived at the bakery there was no sign of her.  Even after making four circuits around the block, the only person in the shop was Marinette’s mother. Eventually he ended up crouched below one of the windows and peaking into the bakery, getting more than a few stares from passers-by, and waiting for her to appear.

He was just ready to give up and go home, seriously debating whether transforming into Chat Noir and swinging past Marinette’s balcony was considered a misuse of his power, and preparing to mope for the rest of the afternoon. Then he saw her, and everything suddenly became very, very real.

Marinette flew down the stairs and into the bakery in a whirlwind that was all too familiar and caused a goofy smile to spread across Adrien’s face. She paused for a moment to glance at the treats on display and then turned to talk to Sabine. This gave him a full view of her through the window, and he couldn’t help but gawk.  

She was wearing a navy summer dress that showed off her slim figure and set off the dark blue highlights in her long straight hair. Her trademark pigtails were gone, he noted, making her look more mature. Her blue eyes were bright, darting around the bakery keenly, and a soft smile graced her pink lips as she leaned over the bakery counter to kiss Sabine on the cheek.

Adrien suddenly felt as if he were fourteen again, his palms went clammy, and his cheeks were on fire. It was as if he was seeing Marinette for the very first time and he was blown away by just how beautiful she was. His feet were all but glued to the floor, and he couldn’t manage to tear his eyes away until Plagg flew in front of his face and disrupted his line of vision. 

“Aren’t you done yet?” he moaned, “I’m bored,”

“Shh, Plagg!” Adrien hissed at him, “Someone might see you. _Marinette_ might see you!”

“She’s leaving anyway,” Plagg grumbled as he flew back into Adrien’s pocket.

The bell signalled the bakery door opening, causing Adrien to jump and curse when he saw Marinette step out. He ignored the ‘told you so’ grumblings that came from his inner pocket, and looked around for somewhere to go. Thinking fast, he turned and bolted across the road into the park where he promptly fell over and scuffed his jeans.

Luck was not with him that day. Plagg, who had flown out of his shirt to avoid being crushed, coughed and pointed behind Adrien to where Marinette was casually strolling through the park. Adrien looked at him in horror, only getting an unhelpful, amused expression in return.

So, he did the only thing he could think of and ducked behind a nearby bench, sandwiching himself between it and a tree to wait until Marinette had passed him and he could sneak back out the way he came.

Then Marinette walked over and sat on the bench he was hiding behind, leaning back and pulling her phone out of her pocket. Adrien ended up stuck behind her, unable to move for fear that she might see him, and he was left spamming the group chat until the others finally appeared.

* * *

Messenger

S.O.S

**Chlobabe**  
Adrikins I think this might be the best thing that has ever happened to any of us  
Including Pollen and Nath  
Pollen doesn’t mind  
she’s reading over my shoulder and she thinks it’s hilarious.

**Nathynumnum**  
Nath doesn't mind either

**Adrikins**  
FFS Chloé I have a genuine problem here

**alya's stud muffin**  
So you are stuck behind a bench.

**Adrikins**  
yes

**alya's stud muffin**  
And Marinette is sat on the bench

**Adrikins**  
yes

**alya's stud muffin**  
duuuuuuuuuude

**Nathynumnum**  
Benches don't even make good hiding places bro  
they have gaps

**Adrikins**  
No shit.  
I didn’t exactly think, she was walking into the park and I sorta dove?  
Someone help me here, what am I supposed to do?  
I’ve been here too long I can’t move now  
Too awkward.

**alya’s stud muffin**  
yeah dude, because hiding behind a bench bcs of a girl isn’t embarrassing enough as it is lmao

**Allieangel**  
OKAY DON’T PANIC  
Rena to the Rescue!!  
Sidenote – I’ve said it before but that should TOTALLY be my catchphrase.

**Chlobabe**  
Do we look like some kids cartoon?  
We are not having catchphrases  
Don’t make this superhero thing lame that’s why we have Adrien.

**Allieangel**  
Buzzkill

**Adrikins**  
D:  
Why am I lame?  
I was a superhero before you lot

**Chlobabe**  
Says the boy trapped behind a bench because of a girl  
Cataclysm your way out of that one Cat boy!

**Allieangel**  
ANYWAYYYYY  
Mari is waiting for me! We are going out for coffee :D  
ETA 3 minutes 40 seconds  
39  
38  
37  
I’ll distract her and you can slip away or something? Hold tight babe!

**Adrikins**  
ALYA I LOVE YOU  
<3<3<3<3

* * *

Adrien almost sighed audibly in relief until he heard Marinette do the same thing and remembered where he was. Every second Alya was not there was agonisingly slow and Plagg was beginning to get restless just hiding like this. To keep himself occupied, Adrien had just spammed the chat with messages, including ‘hurry’ and ‘Alya you walk slower than an 80-year-old man with arthritis’, until he saw her enter the park from the far entrance.  

She was sauntering over, taking her sweet time and slyly grinning as she held up her phone and snapped a quick picture of Marinette on the bench. It flashed up on Adrien’s phone a few seconds later when she sent it through to the group chat, his legs visibly sticking out under the bench. He replied with an angry face emoji, then started scrolling through to find the middle finger when Marinette began speaking and almost made him jump out of his skin.

“Alya! Do not take photos of me dying from jet lag!”

“It’s documentation,” Alya called back, “You will thank me one day!”

Marinette laughed, and the two girls ran and flung their arms around each other. They hadn’t seen each other in person since Easter when Alya had flown out to visit for a week, and it did warm Adrien’s anxious heart to see the two of them together again. Especially knowing first hand just how much Alya had missed her.

“N’aww, how cute,” Plagg said, peeking over the top of the bench and rolling over. Adrien shushed him and kept watching, waiting for some sort of sign.

Alya hadn’t forgotten him, thank god, and she soon beckoned at him with a finger behind Marinette’s back. She didn’t let go of Marinette’s arms to make sure that she remained facing away from him. Adrien grinned and mentally sent up prayers of thanks. He carefully extracted himself from his hiding place and subtly made his way around the bench, placing his feet cautiously as not to accidentally step on a branch and give himself away. He was just ready to bolt when Alya’s voice cut through his concentration.

“Adrien!” she called over and started waving excitedly. Marinette turned and stared straight at him, and he felt himself freezing under her gaze as Alya continue to talk. “Fancy seeing you here at the park! Today of all the days!”

Adrien forced himself to walk towards the two girls. His steps were stiff and wooden but there was no escape from it now. He hadn’t even had the chance to perfect his apology poem or his speech, and he couldn’t remember any of the things he had included. He plastered a smile on his face. What was Marinette thinking right now? It wasn’t as if he could tell from her expression and he was always a lot better at reading her body language when she was wearing spandex. 

“Yes. What a coincidence. Hi. Hello Marinette,” he managed to choke out, feeling his throat close up somewhat, “You are in Paris.”

“Yes, I am,” Marinette replied with a small, polite smile of her own.

“Isn’t that just the best Adrien!” Alya prompted. She was far easier to read than Marinette, and he could identify the amusement that just oozed from her voice as she spoke. He shot her a look which he hoped communicated just how much he hated her at that moment. He wasn’t ready to talk to Marinette, he hadn’t even finished the mind map of safe conversational topics.

“The best,” Adrien repeated, “Hi Marinette, welcome to France! How was your flight?”

“It was your pretty average run-of-the-mill flight,” Marinette said, giving a small noncommittal shrug. There was no hint of stuttering or shyness about her. She wasn’t even blushing! There was no indicator that she was finding this as awful as he was. “Can’t complain,”

“That’s great! Did you know that you are more likely to be attacked by a shark than die in a plane crash? Makes you feel sorry for the people who crash into the ocean am I right?” Adrien laughed thinly as a look of confusion spread slowly across Marinette’s face. He reached up to touch his cheek, feeling as if he was burning up.

“Oh yeah? Well, the plane landed perfectly as you can see, safe and sound other than maybe some cramp in my foot.”

 _Ooh! A pun!_ The Chat Noir part of his brain lit up gleefully and the words spilt out before Adrien could stop them.

“Aeroplanes are known for giving their passengers jet _leg.”_

 _Oh fuck._ Chloé, he hated to say, was right. He was lame. He was the lamest superhero and not worthy of being in Ladybug’s presence, let alone her partner. Alya physically smacked the heel of her hand against her forehead.

“That was terrible,” Marinette chuckled, patting his shoulder once. If Adrien hadn’t been blushing before, his skin had turned a rather gross shade of scarlet at her laugh. Simply because that was such a _Ladybug_ reaction to him making a pun. It caused him to grin, genuinely this time, and his skin tingled from her touch.

“Adrien? Didn’t you tell me you had a Photoshoot this afternoon?” Alya cut in. Adrien realised he hadn’t said anything for several seconds and Marinette looked confused again. He took a step backwards and scratched the back of his neck.

“Right. Yes. That’s a thing. I’m going to go to that now. Photoshoot. Yes. I’m going to be late,” he managed to sputter out, checking his wrist for a non-existent watch and taking several steps backwards.

“Oh, Adrien can I ask?” Marinette said, tilting her head curiously and holding his gaze. Adrien nodded, and she continued, “What were you doing behind that bench?”

_FUCK._

“Huh… Um… you saw that… I… er… funny story.”

Adrien had never been the best at lying on the spot under pressure, that talent lay within Chloé and Alya’s expertise more than his own. He kept on smiling, but it felt painted on and fake. “I dropped all my change on the floor?” he tried to continue, “it took me a while to pick it all up again. I didn’t see you sat there though!”

Marinette nodded, looking perplexed and not at all like she believed what Adrien had just said but thankfully not asking any further questions.

“Ah okay then! I’ll see you around Adrien. I hope the photoshoot goes well!”

“I hope yours does too,” Adrien blurted out, cringed and just said, “Bye” before moving off again. He paused for a second to glare once more at Alya who was just grinning at him and waving goodbye, and turned and walked off as fast as he possibly could.

Once they were away from the girls and out of the park, Plagg flew out in front of his face, looking at him sympathetically.

“Well, that was not a complete disaster,” he said, offering Adrien his last piece of cheese. Adrien just looked disgustedly at it and turned away.

“Ugh, don’t,” Adrien said, digging his hands into his pockets and generally wondering just how feasible it was to use his Cataclysm on himself.

* * *

Messenger

S.O.S

**Allieangel**  
Marinette: Adrien was acting a bit weird wasn’t he? Is everything going okay?  
Marinette: He was behind that bench for a long time and I don’t think I have ever heard him stutter before.  
Marinette: I hope he isn’t still caught up on what happened before, I’m over it  
Marinette: Wouldn’t it be so ironic if he had a crush on ME now, after all that.  
Marinette: Not that it would ever happen

**Nathynumnum**  
Oh the irony is killing me

**Adrikins**  
We don’t need the running commentary of everything Marinette is saying Alya thanks

**alya's stud muffin**  
dude we really do  
I need this more than air  
More than water.  
More than SEX  
I can’t believe she knew you were behind the bench the whole time  
After all that  
Bro XDXD

**Adrikins**  
I'm glad you all find the humour in it

Adrikins set the nickname for Alya Césaire to TRAITOR

**Adrikins**  
Excuse me while I never leave my house again.  
Ever.  
Will be like being 13 all over again

**Chlobabe**  
Nonononono  
Not again  
You do not get to use your tragic backstory™ to escape being shamed.

**Adrikins**  
My dad was a supervillain  
He attacked me several times to try and steal my miraculous and bring my mum back.

**Nathynumnum**  
Bro.

**alya's stud muffin**  
Aw dude see now I feel bad :/

**Chlobabe**  
Every bloody time

**TRAITOR**  
Lol

**Adrikins**  
Alya you are dead to me

**alya's stud muffin**  
Wait does that mean she is dead to me to?

**TRAITOR**  
WTF Nino

Nathynumnum set the nickname for Nino Lahiffe to ADRIEN’S stud muffin

**ADRIEN’S stud muffin**  
Sorry babe  
Bros before…  
Beautiful ladies

**Nathynumnum**  
so I'm guessing the housewarming party is off then

* * *

The continual teasing and shaming of the incident lasted throughout most of the afternoon and into the evening. At some point there were teams, and all the boys lost their bedroom privileges. This obviously had no effect on Adrien, though Alya swore that once he _did_ finally get laid, then she was going to make sure that it didn’t happen again for at least a month. Nathaniel had reacted by trying to revoke Chloé’s bedroom privileges, and then the two of them had disappeared. They returned half an hour later, revealing that they had shagged on Nath’s beanbag chairs instead of the bed. Nino had switched back to Alya’s side eventually, though by this point the two of them had forgotten what team had stood for what other than the fact that they were united in the need to make fun of Adrien.

Even when he caught up to Queen Bee that evening, Chat Noir had found that she was still sniggering over what a mess he was.

Every night, at least two of the miraculous holders would meet at the top of the TVi station for patrol, they would train a bit together and run around Paris to put the minds of the people at rest – assisting the police if needed. On Saturdays, they would have a team meeting where they would decide who was going to patrol when and just generally have a good time messing around and chasing each other over the rooftops. This had been something Ladybug had organised soon after Papillon had been defeated and even though she had been gone and the others hung out with each other most nights in their civilian lives, they had kept up the routine.

So today, it was just him and his yellow and black striped friend. Queen Bee was tossing her trompo out into the open air and pulling it back again just as fast when he caught up to her. He drew his staff and went in for a surprise attack, which she managed to block successfully and beamed at him.

“Of all the hiding places in the park, I still can’t believe you hid behind a bench,” she said, smirking at him as they sparred lazily, getting a few hits in between sentences.

“Bee, you of all people know how shit I am at hide and seek, okay? I just panicked!”

“Ohh, I am never letting this go,” Queen Bee said, flicking her weapon by Chat Noir’s feet and causing him to jump five feet into the air. He glared at her. “I’m serious, I’m going to be telling this story at your wedding… don’t give me that look.”

Chat Noir deflected the trompo with his staff, utilising it like a baseball bat and hitting her weapon back at her. She moved her head quickly to avoid being hit in the shoulder, but almost lost her balance as a result. He reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her toppling completely.

“I know Carapace is going to be the best man. Whatever. I’m going to be the best woman, and yes, I’m going to make a speech. If you want to have your wedding at my hotel and use our €12000 a night honeymoon suite, those are the conditions.”

“Gotcha,” Chat Noir replied, “Why have you planned my wedding?”

“Please, I have been planning this since we were adorable little toddlers. The only difference is that I’m no longer the bride and you aren’t a fairy prince,” Queen Bee replied matter-of-factly. She squared her shoulders, very obviously feinting to one side and then went in for the attack. Chat Noir blocked it easily and folded his arms. She swore.

“You are giving your attacks away again,”

“Seriously?”

“You better _bee_ -lieve it,”

“Damn!”

Chat Noir wasn’t sure if her last remark was for the pun or the frustration she felt about not getting her attack right, but he didn’t get the chance to reply when she went for him again – getting the series of moves right this time and almost knocking him off his feet. He grinned at her.

“Better, well done,” he said, “Let’s leave it for tonight – can work on it more on Sunday or something?”

Queen Bee nodded and followed Chat Noir over to the edge of the roof. He sat down, swinging his legs over the side and patting the space next to him. She sat down daintily, crossing her legs and leaning back on her hands.

“Oh, I promised Alya we would take a selfie for the Ladyblog,” she said, looking out towards the lights of the city below, “She’s been getting jumpy without some sort of exclusive, so I said I would do an interview.”

“Alya literally posts theories to our secret identity every other day,” Chat Noir scoffed, brushing his fingers through his hair, “what more does she need?”

“She’s got a theme and everything, some sort of throwback Thursday thing she got off Nath’s Instagram.” Queen Bee shrugged, “I’m just being my usual obliging self. You want to do it, or shall I?”

“I got it,” Chat Noir grinned and extended his staff, “a selfie stick with a built-in magic camera!” 

“Isn’t that considered a misuse of your powers? Dork.”  

They both posed. It didn’t take long considering Bee’s status as the Selfie Queen and all of Chat Noir’s experience modelling. It was near impossible for the two of them to have a bad photograph.

“So, Bee, who _am_ I marrying?” he grinned, nudging her arm as he slipped his staff back behind his back. The look of hostility that suddenly crossed her features shocked him.

“Not Marinette, if that is what you are thinking,” she snapped, looking down at her legs, “all I can picture is the designer wedding dress and fabulous shoes. Everything else is a bit of a blur.”

Chat noir blinked once and nodded, understanding immediately. It was all well and good making fun of him about Marinette, god knows he deserved it, but Queen Bee was always going to have a lot of baggage there.

“Chloé,” Chat Noir sighed, gently moving his arm around her shoulders. He used her real name because this was a ‘real life’ problem and it was all too easy in their world to forget that they weren’t actually two people. “Talk to me,”

“Oh yeah,” she replied sharply, “As if I can talk to you about this Chat, really.” But in true Queen Bee fashion, she carried on regardless, leaning into his side. “What am I supposed to do? I adored Ladybug, I worshipped her! She’s literally the reason that I am such a nice person now and look where we are. Marinette hated me and I know I was the bitch at school, but she hated me and judged me and suspected me when every little thing went wrong. Then I found out they are the same person! My hero and my worst enemy!”

“Did we not go through this last year?” Chat Noir said gently,

Ah, the week Chloé had found out that Marinette and Ladybug were one and the same had to be one of Adrien’s most prominent memories. If only for the sheer amount of junk food boxes that had littered her suite. She had even tried ordering Pizza, but Adrien ended up eating most of it sat on her floor and listening to her rant.

Alya and Nino had managed to put two and two together when they had heard conflicting stories about what had actually happened between Adrien and Marinette the night of the party. Adrien had been such a mess that he wasn’t even managing to keep the Chat Noir part of his story straight and was mixing the two of them up. Armed with that and the knowledge that both Marinette and Ladybug were leaving the country, Alya figured it out and couldn’t keep the secret from Nino for the life of her. Nathaniel had no idea until about two weeks later when they were candidly talking about Marinette/Ladybug at a patrol, and he almost fainted.

Somewhere between the party and their team meeting, Chloé had called up Adrien sobbing about how Ladybug was away and how it wasn’t fair that Marinette got to study in New York and she was basically stalking Ladybug. Adrien’s reaction, having moved into the anger stage of his brooding, was to reply with scathing remarks until the penny dropped.

Chloé broke 3 iPhones that afternoon alone. One smashed very dangerously on the wall next to Adrien’s head. She spent the rest of it eating takeaway and curling up on her bed with her thumb in her mouth and her stuffed bear in her arms.

Finding out that your worst enemy was also your idol had almost been as hard for her as the mess of emotions that Adrien had gone through, so he could sympathise.

“You out of everyone know how different this is going to make everything! Marinette is going to hate me when you tell her the truth, just like she does in our real lives. I’m not exactly her biggest fan ever, even though I am going to be the better person and make my peace with it. Will she? I still can’t wrap my heard around it properly and I don’t think I will be able to until I literally see her transform.

“You know they are the same person, Bee.”

“Beside the point! I can’t put them together. It’s stupidly hard, and it’s not as if Sabrina is able to do emotional homework for me!”

“Oh, how is Sabrina?” Chat asked, veering off topic for a moment.

“Brilliantly, of course. She’s going to be the number one pharmacology student in the country, duh,” Queen Bee said, pride in her voice, “and back to me, I need to somehow manage to befriend Marinette. Maybe It wasn’t such a good idea for you to tell her so soon. Alya is already planning the shopping trips!”

“Alya wants to go shopping?” He said, disbelieving and raising an eyebrow at her.

“Don’t be an idiot. I like shopping, and Marinette likes fashion, so Alya wants us to ‘bond’” Queen Bee said this through gritted teeth, her hands clenched into fists at her side and her voice raised several octaves.

Chloé had always had trouble with friends. Even Adrien, as one of her biggest defenders, had had difficulty tolerating her in the past. Sabrina had always been Chloé’s best female friend, but that didn’t become an equal partnership until after Chloé received her miraculous and started rectifying certain mistakes she had made. Her friendship with Alya was one built on mutual trust and respect between Queen Bee and Rena Rouge that had spilt over into their civilian lives once they knew each other’s secrets. One of the most mature things that Chloé had ever done was to sit down with Alya and hash out everything from their school days. It had taken some time, but this was the first friendship, besides Adrien and Sabrina, that Chloé had put effort into and it paid off.

“Bee, listen to me,” Chat Noir said, squeezing her shoulder to try and get her to relax, “You aren’t going to lose any of us, that’s what is really going on right? You aren’t going to lose Alya. She wouldn’t let you lose her and Nath practically worships at your feet. Nino and I aren’t going anywhere either.  

Queen Bee huffed, wrapping her arms around her stomach and curling in on herself. She rested her head against Chat Noir’s shoulder, the Bee Miraculous dug into his skin but he didn’t want to move and ruin the moment.

“Maybe,” she muttered, “ever since she came back to Paris, it’s been Marinette this and Ladybug that... I don’t want her to replace me.”

“Like hell she would! We are your friends, your teammates. We were all friends before Marinette left in our superhero lives and we will figure this out again now she’s back. You aren’t on your own in this Bee, and we aren’t going to let one of our friends be screwed. We all get screwed over together, that is what friendship is.”

“You promise?”

“I promise, friends forever,” Chat said, holding out his little finger for a pinky swear. She linked her finger with his, a small smile on her face.

“I’m not as fucked as you are anyways,”

“Cheers.” Chat Noir said, “I mean it’s accurate, but it still hurts a little bit,”

“C’mon,” Queen Bee stretched and got to her feet, dragging Chat Noir up with her, “I’ve had enough of the mushy stuff for one day. I’ll race you to the Eiffel tower!”

“Alright,” he grinned at her, “you are on!”


	4. General Reminder: Patrol is at 10pm

Messenger 

General Reminder: Patrol is at 10pm 

ADRIEN's stud muffin named the group LET'S LEARN OUR ANIMAL NOISES!  
ADRIEN's stud muffin set the nickname for Adrien Agreste to Meow  
ADRIEN's stud muffin set the nickname for Alya Césaire to RuffRuff  
ADRIEN's stud muffin set the nickname for Chloé Bourgeois to ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  
ADRIEN's stud muffin set the nickname for Nathaniel Kurtzberg to Tweet Tweet Motherfuckers  
Nino set his own nickname to wait do turtles even make noise?  
Nathaniel set his own nickname to peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass

**Meow**  
Anyway... 

Meow named the group General Remind: Patrol is at 10pm 

**RuffRuff**  
What do peacocks have to scream about? 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**  
the inevitability of death and the purpose of existence in an infinite universe 

**RuffRuff**  
riiight... 

**wait do turtles even make noise?**  
SO Adrien, tonight is the night!  
Are you ready for this? 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**  
Do you think she will remember to turn up? 

**RuffRuff**  
Oh yah she is. I asked her if she wanted to and see a late night movie and she stuttered her way through some sort of jetlag excuse.  
She's def coming.

**wait do turtles even make noise?**  
I love that girl a lot but I have never known anyone else to be as bad a liar as her  
How did we not work out this ladybug thing sooner? 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**  
says more about us than her NGL 

**Meow**  
welp imma love you and leave you 

**Meow**  
Gonna stuff Plagg full of cheese and then go for a bit of run before patrol 

**Meow**  
See ya later 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**  
Bye babes  
xoxoxoxoxox  
...  
Okay has he gone?  
Anime  
Video Games  
Camembert  
Laser pointers  
Macaroons 

**RuffRuff:**  
Chloé tf are you doing? 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**  
Those are Adrien's summoning words  
I'm checking to see if he is actually gone 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**  
you forgot ladybug and marinette 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**  
Shit yah 

**wait do turtles even make noise?**  
...  
...  
...  
well he's not reading or replying to these 

**RuffRuff**  
He's gone we're safe  
so we aren't showing up tonight until at least 11, right? 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**  
that's the plan  
no one wants to watch the chatbug reunion anyway it's going to be gross 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**  
My money is on Adrien breaking down in tears. 

**wait do turtles even make noise?**  
Imma bring tissues later 

* * *

Chat Noir ran across the Parisian rooftops that Saturday night under a clear sky and twinkling stars. He was full to bursting with anticipation, though was somehow managing to exude the calm and cool exterior that he was known for. He was even allowing himself to be excited about the evening ahead and seeing Ladybug again. The actual Ladybug this time, with the spots and mask and affection for him rather than cold indifference in her eyes. Sure, the other members of the team would be there as well, but they would all be reunited, and that is what mattered. He was just going to ignore the lingering feat that sat in the bottom of his stomach.

With a fair bit of time to kill before he was supposed to meet up with the others, he had ended up at the Eiffel Tower. It had always been one of his favourite places in Paris, but without Ladybug to share the incredible view with, he had been neglecting it recently; there were too many memories there. It was the place where Ladybug had first become the superhero that everyone admired when Papillion had first appeared to them, where they had fought Volpina and other akumas and where Chat Noir had told Ladybug that he loved her before she left. He relived each memory, no matter how bittersweet, and cherished them as he climbed his way to the top of the tower. Looking out, he took note of the other areas that had come to mean so much to him: The TVi tower, Chloé's hotel and Nath's apartment. You could see everything so clearly from up here.

"Guess who!"

Familiar gloved hands covered Chat Noir's eyes suddenly. He hadn't heard anyone creep up on him, too busy lost in his own thoughts. It caused him to yowl and fall backwards in surprise, but he recognised the voice, and it immediately soothed all his defence instincts.

"M'lady, what… what are you doing here?"

Ladybug's hands slipped from his eyes to his shoulders as she pulled him against her chest and leant her cheek on the top of his hair in an awkwardly positioned hug. Chat Noir couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as she held him tightly and he closed his eyes, moving his hands over hers and squeezing them.

"You know I love it up here, I missed the view," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek and releasing him so he could turn to face her properly. "I missed you as well, Chaton." He took a second to look her over, silently admiring the way she stood there so confidently, but not letting her step back too far out of his reach before pulling back into another hug. Ladybug squealed in delight as he lifted her off the ground and buried his face into her shoulder, and she locked her arms around his neck, her slender fingers threading through the hair at the nape of his neck.

The two young superheroes stood there for what felt like an eternity. Just having Ladybug back in his arms, was enough to each much of the anxiety that Chat Noir had been having over her return. He placed her down gently, and she stepped back, hands trailing along his arms.

"Have you been working out?" she commented lightly, a slight smirk crossing her face.

"I actually started using the gym – like I always said I was going to do," he replied proudly. Ladybug laughed, knowing that it had been his resolution for years. He had had a solid gym routine ever since Nathaniel and Nino had discovered that he had a private gym in the Agreste Mansion that was barely ever used, and he was now forced into exercise via the 'gym bros new year's resolution pact.' "Your hair is longer."

"Yeah, I fancied a bit of a change," she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. Her hair was secured back into a high ponytail by a red ribbon that was tied in such a way that it reminded him of a ladybug's antenna. "Besides, I could hardly wear pigtails all my life."

"Your pigtails were adorable," Chat Noir stated, reaching over her shoulder and tugging on her hair. Ladybug smacked his arm out of the way.

"I can't be adorable, I have to be a proper adult now!"

"Proper adults aren't as short as you," he said, patting the top of her hair. His train of thought slightly interrupted by the way her hair bounced when he touched it. She swatted at his hand again. "Did you even grow after you turned 14?"

"I am not that small!" Ladybug pushed his chest indignantly. Chat Noir stood up to his full height and tugged her back towards him, leaning his chin on top of her head to make a point. He had to strain a little, but it was doable. "Okay! I get it! You are freakishly tall, and that isn't fair!"

It honestly amazed Chat Noir that as soon as both their masks were on, the nerves had simply melted away and the two of them had fallen into the easy banter that they had always had. It was almost enough to make him forget about his other responsibilities as both as a superhero and as Adrien.

Ladybug had moved on to animatedly telling him all about what she had done in New York, some of the people she had met and saved and the places she had seen. Chat Noir could tell that the conversation was heavily edited and that she tended to catch herself before she said certain words or names. It was the way they always had to talk to each other, and he felt a pang of sadness in his gut. She was the one person he wanted to be himself with, no more disguises. He just watched and listened to her talk, completely mesmerised by every little word or movement of her hands, and he laughed when she tried to mimic the voices of some of the people she had met with one of the worst American accents he had ever heard. Naturally, most of his replies consisted of puns, and she would laugh straight back at him or roll her eyes and groan.

She had been keeping up with the team via Alya's Ladyblog, but she still questioned him about how the team had been getting on without her. He was honest, it had been difficult to get used to, but the others had been amazingly supportive about the whole thing, and he didn't think it had gone too terribly in the end. Ladybug just placed both hands on his shoulders, looking firmly in the eyes and told him how proud she was. He all but melted under her touch.

"I've missed this," Ladybug said when they had reached the limit of everything that she would allow them to share with each other. They had both ended up slumped near the wall with Ladybug's legs resting in his lap comfortably.

"So have I," Chat Noir replied, watching her as she was fiddling with the end of her hair, twisting it in her fingers, "I don't know if I'll be able to cope if you vanish again."

"Kitty…" She looked back up at him, meeting his eyes with those bright and beautiful blue hues of hers and giving him a sympathetic smile. "I'm not going anywhere for a while, I promise."

That wasn't a promise to stay forever though.

"If we shared our identities with each other then we would be able to talk normally. In case you have to go away again," he continued, because there was no time like the present to introduce the idea to her at least. But it just caused her to wince a little and turn her head away.

"We can't do that," she said, stiffening, "we can never tell anyone who we truly are, not even each other. That is just the way it is, you know that."

He murmured in agreement. She was going to be so pissed off at everyone when she found out the truth; that Alya and Nino had known each other's identity since the secrecy had threatened their relationship years ago, or Nathaniel just standing up and announcing who he was during patrol one evening for the sake of it. Not to mention the way he outed her secret to every other superhero in Paris when he was in a mood.

Ladybug's number one rule and her plane had not even landed in New York before her teammates had obliterated it.

"Do you think the others are waiting for us?" she asked, swiftly changing the subject before he was able to get any more words out, "it's been a while."

Honestly, Chat Noir had barely thought about the time or catching up with the others in all the time they had been there. He pulled his staff out to check the time on the screen; it was quarter past eleven, way past the time when Patrol was supposed to begin. He held it out for Ladybug to see.

"Oops," she said, "I guess we got distracted, I hope they aren't mad."

"Eh, they'll live," Chat Noir said, sure that they would understand and that he would be inundated with messages that evening when they all transformed back. He carefully removed her legs and jumped to his feet, offering a hand to her with a bright smile. "Shall we then, M'lady?"

Ladybug took his hand and gracefully rose to her feet. She let him assist her up onto the wall, then without waiting another second, her yoyo shot out and she flipped off the tower. He watched her, a goofy smile crossing his face until he remembered that he was supposed to be following her and all but fell off the roof himself.

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived on the roof simultaneously, automatically pulling a synchronised power pose that was utterly lost on the other four miraculous holders who were just hanging out on the top of the tower, lost in their own little worlds. Carapace was sat on the floor with Rena Rouge leaning back against his chest, his arms were wrapped around her waist lazily as they watched a video on Rena's flute screen – something to do with the Ladyblog, Chat Noir presumed. Queen Bee and Paon were sparring, practising the moves and combinations that they had been doing on patrol the other day.

None of them noticed their two leaders approach, prompting Chat Noir to make a mental note about lecturing them on the importance of being aware of the surroundings. Ladybug took a side step to him, linking her arm through his.

"When did that happen?" she asked quietly, gesturing to where Paon had trapped Queen Bee in his arms and was peppering kiss along her neck as she pretended to struggle and escape, giggling all the while.

"About four months ago," Chat Noir murmured in reply, remember how torturous it had been waiting for those two to hurry up and do something about the sexual tension between them. That was until they admitted to blowing off patrol several times to go and shag somewhere and they just became disgustingly romantic with each other instead. He didn't want to get into the specifics with Ladybug though, knowing just how hard it had been for the two of them to accept each other as just plain old Chloé and Nath to get to where they were today.

"Huh, good for them," Ladybug said thoughtfully, thankfully not pushing him for more information. She gave his arm a little squeeze, taking a deep breath and walking over to the others. "Well, you all seem busy, maybe I should just leave again!"

"Ladybug?" Queen Bee broke free of Paon's hands and literally flew to Ladybug, flinging her arms around her neck and latching on to her with a vice-like grip. Ladybug laughed, hugging her friend back just as tightly.

"I missed you too Bee."

"Hey!" The rest of us want a go!" Rena Rouge wormed her way between the two girls so she could hug Ladybug tightly as well, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you are actually back, how long have you been in Paris? Was your flight okay? You have got to tell me everything that happened!"

Paon and Carapace both received hugs as well, and the three of them listened as Ladybug answered all their questions as best she could, grinning all the while.

Queen Bee came and stood next to Chat Noir a few steps away, and he bumped her gently with his hip, casually looping his arm around her shoulder. She cocked her head, rubbing a little at her mask as they watched.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said determinedly, "does it worry you as much as it does me that Rena's going all out right now, even though Alya and Marinette spent the whole afternoon together.

"Honestly, if I start to think about the semantics involved in our double life I get a headache," Chat Noir pulled a face at that, "Meet me for lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure." Queen Bee squeezed his arm and dove straight into the middle of all the hugging that was going on, breaking them apart. "I want to hear all about how amazingly fabulous New York is!" she demanded.

"Well, we know a lot of it, because we all follow the Ladyblog," Rena Rouge stated with a hint of pride in her voice, "I think that girl who runs it would really appreciate an interview with you about your return if you have a minute… whatshername… Alya? The one with the super cool hair and glasses."

"Um… Yeah! I will have to drop in on her at some point soon," Ladybug said, unable to stop from smiling at them all. Chat Noir did manage to catch Paon mouthing the word 'subtle' to Rena Rouge behind Ladybug's back though, and he bit back a laugh.

Patrol that night ended up getting abandoned in favour of Storytime with the six of them sat around in a circle on the roof talking well into the early hours of the morning. Ladybug had ended up right next to Chat Noir, her elbow resting on his knee as they caught her up with what had been happening in Paris since she had left, because what had they ever known about personal space. He just had to pretend his entire leg was not on fire while she was touching him, and that Carapace was not wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at him whenever Ladybug was looking another way.

"So, there I was, having already used Mirage to trap these to robbers in the middle of their heist. They were both dazed, but I had been so busy trying to hold this illusion properly that I only had about 30 seconds to go before I de-transformed," Rena Rouge said, animatedly recounting her patrol from a couple of weeks ago. Chat Noir was familiar with it and had the incredibly long text message screenshotted on his phone to print off and add to his 'Miraculous Memories' collection. "I swung my flute and managed to knock one of them out just as I changed back, and Trixx ended up half passing out in my hand. So I did the first thing I could think of and grabbed this super expensive vase from the shop window and swung it on the other robber's head. He smashed his head against one of the jewellery counters, and I just bolted before the police or anyone else got there. Only then like two doors down I crash straight into L…" she stopped short, covering her mouth with both hands suddenly, eyes widening as she gave a side glance at Ladybug and a sheepish smile. "I guess the rest of the story is only funny if you know my identity… sorry."

"No, no, it's fine" Ladybug tried to reassure her, reaching out and patting her shoulder. "It was very funny regardless." Looks were exchanged, and Chat Noir prayed that Ladybug was not looking close enough to see the pain and frustration in the eyes of the miraculous holders.

"This identity thing is a bitch," Rena Rouge muttered, flopping back against Carapace with a sigh, hitting him in the cheek with one of her fox ears

"I know," Ladybug bit her lip, looking up at Chat Noir briefly. "I know it is hard, not knowing who we are. But it protects us… we know what would happen if someone outside our circle found out…" she trailed off, and they all made half-hearted murmurs of agreement, and there was silence for a few seconds, no one wanting to challenge Ladybug's words.

"Hypothetically," Paon piped up, "What would you do if you found out my identity by accident? Would you tell me?"

"I… don't know?" Ladybug said with a shrug, "It probably wouldn't be fair to know that sort of thing without saying anything, so I would probably mention it… hypothetically of course. But then… I don't think I would want to know if you guys knew who I was."

"Why not?" Carapace asked, a little panicked.

"I trust you all completely, but the less we know about each other, regardless of what others know, the safer we will all be."

The words echoed around Chat Noir's head a couple of times because they confused and frustrated him. Papillion was gone, for want of a better word, and there was no significant threat to them or their safety other than the petty criminals they stopped on the streets of Paris and the longer she was there, the more frustrated he was getting that she wasn't a part of their loop. He could argue that they were safer knowing and trusting everything about each other, but she would just argue back and fight him on every word – that he knew for certain.

It was closer to sunrise than he liked, knowing that he was going to have to pretend to be a functional human being in a few hours, yet he couldn't bring himself to suggest leaving until Ladybug was dropping off to sleep against his shoulder. Paon had been dozing for at least 15 minutes, his head in Queen Bee's lap and her fingers threaded through his red hair tenderly and it seemed a shame to wake him up. They sorted out patrol schedules for the week quickly, drawing names at random. Though, seeing as Rena Rouge was the embodiment of dishonesty, he had a hunch that his shift with Ladybug that Monday was fixed, and he was positive that it was a fix when Ladybug's second shift that week was with Queen Bee, knowing how much Chloé would appreciate the one on one time.

He couldn't deny that the worst part of the evening was that everyone left in pairs. Rena Rouge and Carapace returned to their new flat and Queen Bee was probably staying with Paon at his loft. Ladybug remained blissfully unaware of this coincidence and just brushed him off when he offered to escort her home. She did, however, give him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek to say goodbye before swinging off in the direction of the Bakery.

And so, Chat Noir was by himself on the rooftop, stomach sinking as he watched his Ladybug leave him behind one more time. His stomach still dropped, even though he knew perfectly well that he was going to see her on patrol in a few days. Mustering up the last of his energy, he vaulted home over the rooftops of Paris and slipped back through his bedroom window.

He dropped his transformation the second his shoes touched the carpet and Plagg flew out, looping in the air a couple of times before landing flat on his back on the coffee table. The Kwami moaned and groaned until Adrien walked over to the minifridge and pulled out a wheel of Camembert for him to gorge on before bed. The grumbles were soon replaced with mewls of delight and Adrien left him to his cheesy heaven, flopping back on his bed and thumbing through the notifications on his phone.

* * *

Messenger 

General Reminder: Patrol is at 10pm 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
I think I have an idea 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**   
Babe you aren't supposed to think, you are just supposed to stand there and look pretty 

**RuffRuff**   
Just smile and leave the thinking to us okay? :P 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
I feel so objectified right now   
But you called me pretty so i'm good 

**RuffRuff**   
Lmao what are you thinking? 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
Mari def doesn't want to know the thing. 

**Meow**   
no. shit.   
I suggested that we tell each other the thing before we got to you and it was same old stuff   
“our secret identities protect us”   
“I trust you with my life but not with my secret” 

**wait do turtles even make noise?:**   
yah i had a hunch that she wouldn't change that one   
And lets be honest guys Adrien won't actually have the balls to tell her to her face.

**Meow**   
Oi 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
but if she just   
Figures it out by herself   
Like we did   
And we know that she knows   
Even if she won’t tell us   
If we know that she knows   
Maybe everyone would feel less guilty. 

**Meow**   
I think the boy is on to something 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**   
You only think that because tricking her into finding out means you don't actually have to talk to her about it. 

**Meow**   
I resent that accusation   
I can try   
Watch me try 

**RuffRuff**   
Tricking her into finding out for herself…   
Might work   
ehhhhh

**wait do turtles even make noise?**   
Careful Aly, your Trixx is showing. 

**RuffRuff**   
Well, what have we got to lose really?   
Let's call it plan b?

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**   
Agreed.   
You know me, any chance to mess with Marinette Dupain-Cheng's head. 

**Meow**   
What happened to this being a chat noir telling ladybug thing? 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
you can still try   
And if it works?   
Great!   
But if it doesn’t…   
Nino what’dya think? 

**wait do turtles even make noise?**   
sorry got distracted   
chlo you are so extra   
full naming her   
just call her mari like the rest of us smh 

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**   
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 

**wait do turtles even make noise?**   
But anyway   
If my boi fails I'm up for figuring out plan b

**Meow**   
Loving all the faith you have in me guys   
BUT it’s late   
So go to sleep   
I’ll see you guys at Fu’s at 10. 

**peacocks don't tweet they scream dumbass**   
G'night! 

**RuffRuff**   
Sweet dreams all. 


	5. The Fbi Agent Watching This Knows Our Secret Identities

Messenger 

The FBI agent watching this knows our secret identities 

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Um... guys?  
What time are you getting here?  
I'm scared... O_O 

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
You better be fuckin scared why are you on fb  
Put your phone down and come help me ffs

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Babe, I'm just making sure that the playlist is lit, I'll come help in the kitchen in a sec xox  
(see what I mean, I think she's lost it)

**Codename Venomous**  
Nath and I are just about to transform and head over. Is the bedroom window unlocked? I have my clothes already to change into and Alya, I'll do your make up as well before everything starts. Don't worry! I am good at this, I have three back up plans in case something goes wrong. You are amazing, and I'm brilliant, so this will be great! 

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
Why is this such a big deal?  
It's not as if you have never had parties before Allie 

**Codename Venomous**  
First party in new house – stress  
First party of the new Uni year? – stress. It will set her social standing for the next 12 months.  
First party that you and Marinette Dupain-Cheng are attending together since the incident? – I'm surprised that she isn't having an aneurysm right now.  
Get a grip Adrien

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
Adrien if you do not want your balls tied around your head you will be on my doorstep in five minutes WITH EVERYTHING I TEXTED YOU TO BUY 

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Srsly dude, she's not kidding. 

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
...  
be there in 5 

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
love you A x 

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
Chat Bubble 

* * *

It was a nice walk to Alya and Nino's new apartment. The building wasn't far, almost halfway between Nathaniel's loft and the Agreste Mansion. Adrien enjoyed afternoons like this, strolling along the path with the sunshine warming his back as he flicked through his phone, cracking up the music to drown out the chatter of the people walking by and swinging the plastic bag containing Alya's alcohol and snacks as he went.

Their new place was the top floor of a rather pretty building, boasting a rather lovely looking latticework around the windows and ivy crawling along the side of the wall. The most important feature, for all five members of their squad, was that the bedroom had a small balcony that overlooked a dingy alleyway; perfectly private for them to be able to get in and out without disturbing anyone.

Adrien was looking forward to the housewarming party as well. It was a going to be a good mix of their new university friends and their old mates from school who were all looking to live it up before classes started up again. His phone had been going mad all day with various messages about it, clarifying addresses and what to bring. He also couldn't deny the small part of him that was looking forward to seeing Marinette in a social setting where the two of them could maybe relax and have a decent conversation where there was no pressure – however much that was going to stress Alya out.

A couple of days before, after their martial arts class, Alya had given him, Chloé and Nathaniel spare keys for both the front and balcony doors. This was accompanied with strict instructions that they were only to be used for emergencies and not, as Alya had firmly reminded them, for letting themselves into the flat in the early hours of the morning to cry over the finale of some drama or anime. Adrien took offense to this as it had only happened twice before. Alya should have realised by this point the five of them had absolutely no personal boundaries when it came to each other's living spaces – as evidenced by the fact that he had returned home on more than one occasion to find them all sprawled out in his cinema room binging Netflix.

So, with that in mind, Adrien let himself into Alya and Nino's flat and quickly made himself at home. He kicked off his shoes at the door and dumped his bag and coat on the kitchen island before having a bit of a mooch around to see how they had organised everything. It was a cute little flat, with a rather spacious kitchen and living room area. There was enough space for Nino's DJ set up to be in one corner, too long sofas and a smallish tv that was mounted to the wall – already for their movie and take away nights.

Even though Nino and Alya both had part-time jobs and the grants they received for university tuition, it would still have been unlikely they would have been able to afford somewhere as nice as this under normal circumstances. They had been lucky as the neighbourhood was considered rough and there had actually been some stabbings nearby, which had brought the rent down considerably. Adrien knew that their parents had been anxious about it, and maybe as their friend, he should have been as well, but he knew that they had both reached the point in which they were completely apathetic to danger of any sorts.

"Ooh, is that the vodka?" Alya said, as she walked out of the room and grinned brightly at him. She wasn't dolled up or anything yet, dressed in paint-splattered tracksuit bottoms and her short hair was tied into two misshapen pigtails on either side of her head. Adrien just smiled back at her and kissed her on both cheeks when she came over.

"Yup," he said, "I brought other stuff as well. I think Nath's bringing some more beers and heads up, Chloé promised to bring some fancy ass wine from the hotel cellar to toast your housewarming. So remember, if you manage to drink any of it, compliment it excessively,"

"Even though it tastes the same as the eight euro one from the shop around the corner?"

"Even if it tastes worse."

Alya wrinkled her nose at that, then cracked a smile and pushed her fringe back from her forehead. She hummed a little, and Adrien recognised that look as her 'mental checklist' expression, as she ticked off everything that she had had to do that day.

"You alright, Allie?" he asked her, reaching out and poking her arm.

"Mmmmm," Alya said, nodding, but Adrien knew her well enough by now to know that was not completely true and he gave her a look. "I just keep thinking that the last time Nino and I threw a party like this, with both you and Marinette here, you stamped all over her heart, got hammered and threw up on the carpet."

"I did apologise for that." He scratched the back of his neck, looking away at the floor.

"I know, and I gave the cleaning company you bought for me five stars on Yelp and everything, but this is still my first home, and I could do without sick on the carpet."

"Then why are you throwing a party with students and alcohol?"

Alya gave him a little glare and just shook her head.

"You aren't going to embarrass Nino and me, are you Adrien? I don't think I can handle any of my best friends making an ass out of themselves this evening. I don't want Chloé to be uncomfortable until Marinette gets used to the idea that she's as close a friend as everyone else is. I don't want Marinette to be forced to play nice in a room with two people she hates and I swear on the miraculous, I will flip shit if I end up in the paper after having to fish a drunk  _Adrien Agreste_  out of the Seine again!"

"In my defence Alya, you  _wrote_ that article," he squirmed a little, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"That is not the point!"

Adrien gave her what he thought was a reassuring smile and leaned over, giving Alya a tight hug and resting his chin on top of her head.

"I can promise you that I will do my best to make sure that nothing goes wrong with this hm?" he said, "Chloé and I can hang out with each other and Nathaniel can babysit, and we don't have to go anywhere near Marinette. So, you just relax and show off. Everything looks great, so there is nothing to worry about."

"This party is going to be absolutely insane!" There was a bang and Alya and Adrien both jumped, heads snapping to the bedroom door that had flung open and, in the doorway, stood Queen Bee, in all her striped glory. She walked towards them, hips swaying and struck a pose a couple of feet away. "And how do I know that?" she continued, and suddenly dropped her transformation with a flash of yellow light, throwing her arms up in the air. Her bee themed spandex outfit quickly was replaced with a low-cut jumpsuit and five-inch designer heels that left Adrien wondering how she managed to look so intimidatingly badass in both her superhero and civilian forms. "Because Chloé Bourgeois is here!"

Pollen whizzed out and flopped down on the kitchen island, where she was soon joined by Plagg who had left Adrien's inside pocket to see what was going on. Adrien refrained from commenting on how Chloé's appearance was probably more likely to contribute to the problem rather than comfort as Chloé held up her makeup bag and tugged on Alya's arm.

"You both don't look as impressed as you should," she stated, narrowing her eyes at the two of them.

"Nah," Alya shook her head, flashing a small smile over at Adrien and gesturing for Chloé to follow her, "Come on Little Miss Life of the Party, my foundation is in the bedroom. Make me look beautiful."

"You always look beautiful Allie, I'm just talented enough to be able to improve on perfection." Chloé smiled back and patted the top of her head.

"DUDE!"

There was a patter of footsteps, and Nino burst from the bedroom clad only in boxers with his t-shirt wrapped around his neck like a cape. He ran at Adrien and jumped on him, wrapping his arms and legs around him as if he was an overgrown koala bear. Adrien grunted and staggered back to try and maintain his balance, banging into one of the kitchen counters with a thud. Nathaniel followed him out, dressed casually in a white top and ripped jeans with a plaid shirt tied around his waist and his red hair tied back in a small bun. Duusu was sat on his shoulder, the little peafowl kwami eyeing them all keenly.

"I brought the beer," Nathaniel said, holding up the two six-packs in his hands, "I'm sure that will hit the headlines tomorrow. 'Paon no longer a good role model for children'"

"I did tell you to put them in a bag, but no," Chloé sighed heavily, "the world would be a lot better off if everyone listened to me."

"Sure babe, whatever you say," Nathaniel agreed, "is there anything for the little ones to eat?" he said, gesturing at Duusu who groaned and rubbed at her stomach. On cue, Plagg joined in with the noises as if Adrien had been starving him for a week as Pollen hovered in front of the humans expectantly.

Nino fell out of Adrien's arms with a thud and landed in a heap on the ground. Unperturbed, he jumped back up to his feet and shook himself.

"Alya and I made a Kwami Hideout for the little dudes in one of the cupboards," he said, looking awfully pleased with himself, "set it all up with my iPad and some fairy lights. It is off the chain!"

"Seriously? Are we thirteen again Nino? Who even says that anymore?" Alya shivered, she gestured for the Kwamis to follow her, "Come on, let me show you. Trixx and Wayzz have literally not left all afternoon, and we put pots of food in there for each of you."

"Don't spoil him too much," Adrien called after them, eyeing Plagg, "I gave him an entire wheel of camembert before we left!" Plagg just rolled over in mid-air to grin widely at Adrien before disappearing through the bedroom door after Alya. Chloé followed after them as well, to help Alya get changed, and so did Nino, who was hopefully going to finish getting dressed.

And that just left Nathaniel and Adrien standing together in the kitchen. Nath cracked open a couple of the beers he had brought and passed one over to him. They clinked the bottles together and took a sip.

"You good?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Adrien replied, "I was great until Alya decided to spam the chat this morning, but I'm alright."

"You will feel better after a few drinks, it's just gonna get worse the more you over think it," Nath reached over and patted his shoulder, "Marinette's a good person, she's not gonna make a scene or anything. So just don't do something dumb like tell her that on top of breaking her heart you also broke her trust and told everyone her secret identity and it will be fine!"

"Hey Nath," Adrien said.

"Yeah?"

"You really need to work on your comforting skills because that sucked," he continued, "seriously, are you trying to make me feel better here?"

"Hey, you got yourself into this mess last year bro. We wouldn't be your friends if we didn't drag you for it at every opportunity." Nath just gave him a lazy grin, "Don't worry, I'll run interference of some sort if something bad starts to happen. Remind me to tell Marc some of this later though, it's going to make a great plot of one of our comics one day."

"Well, I'm glad someone gets a kick out of my life problems," Adrien said. He was interrupted by a knock at the door. The intercom hadn't buzzed, so it caused both boys to jump. When no one emerged from the bedroom to answer it, Adrien gave a shrug to Nath and walked out into the hallway himself to see who was there.

_Speak of the Devil._

On the other side of the door, carrying three trays with one arm and two carrier bags hooked on the opposite wrist was Marinette. She looked stunning, and Adrien couldn't help but gawk at her for several moments with her off the shoulder top and tight fitted jeans, and her black hair cascading in waves over her shoulders. She stared straight back at him with those big blue eyes of hers until she ended up stumbling forward in surprise. Adrien reached out automatically, grabbing both her arms to steady her.

"Careful!"

There was an awkward pause as Marinette blinked a couple of times at him.

"I… um… am I in the right place?" she asked.

"I think so," Adrien nodded vigorously, "You are here for the party? Alya and Nino are in their bedroom. Not alone or doing anything weird, just getting ready. I don't know what you were thinking of, haha." He laughed nervously, stepping back and scratching the back of his head with one hand. He could feel his cheeks burning, and he bit his tongue to stop himself from saying anything else.

"Oh right," Marinette said in reply, her voice a lot calmer than his which was frustrating, and she gave him a tight smile, "I didn't expect anyone else to be here this early. Mum and Dad sent snacks, so I thought I would bring them round and… other things…"

"Neat. Your parent's bakery is off the chain," he said, and then mentally kicked himself. Who even  _said_ that anymore for the love of…

"Off the chain?" There was a flash of amusement in her otherwise blank expression. "That gives me flashbacks from like six years ago." They both laughed awkwardly.

"You want to come in?"

"Well, I don't want to stand out here all evening, Adrien."

There was a pause, and neither of them moved, staring at each other awkwardly until Adrien realised, he was blocking the doorway. He choked a little, stepping backwards suddenly and knocking the trays out of Marinette's hands. They clattered to the floor with a loud bang.

"Marinette?" Nathaniel poked his head around the kitchen door, "I thought that was your voice!" He walked over to her, sidestepping where Adrien had fallen to his knees and was scrambling to make sure the food was alright, and casually took Marinette's other bags from her and pulled her into a casual hug. With a quick wink in Adrien's direction, he tugged her into the kitchen, calling for Alya and Nino as they went.

He was back a second later and kneeling next to Adrien, helping him to tidy the small mess with an amused smirk.

"Smooth bro," he said, "I thought you were supposed to be good with girls?"

"Don't believe everything you read in gossip magazines." Adrien elbowed him in the side, and Nathaniel felt to the floor dramatically, laughing.

* * *

Messenger 

**The FBI agent watching this knows our secret identities**  
_Codename Turtle Power: Can someone pls clean the unidentified mess in the bathroom before Alya sees it omg._

\--------------------

**Nino Lahiffe**  
_Are you sober enough to go on an alcohol run or should I ask Chloé?_

\--------------------

**Chloé Bourgeois**  
_Halfway through the party and there has been no embarrassment yet! Do you want a cookie?_

\--------------------

**Félix Agreste**  
_Have you seen Bri? I swear she starts running off as soon as she has had two glasses of wine. If you catch her, don't let her try and play hide and seek or anything like that._

\--------------------

**Max Kanté**  
_Can I confirm Alya and Nino's address? Neither of them are replying, and although Kim insists he knows the way, I am convinced that we are lost._

\--------------------

* * *

Messenger 

The FBI agent watching this knows our secret identities 

21:34 

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Can someone pls clean the unidentified mess in the bathroom before Alya sees it omg. 

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
Too late. Alya on route. 

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Activating project intercept  
.  
..  
...  
Intercept failed. Plan B? 

**Codename Venomous**  
Get that girl a drink in her hand stat. Adrien clean up the mess.

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
What am I, the errand boy? Nino wants more drinks you want me to play housemaid. I don't even live here.

**Codename Venomous**  
Babe this is the only reason we keep you around. Suck it up. 

21:48 

**Codename Turtle Power**  
 The party don't start til rose walks in

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Rose is here? 

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Yup, Juleka too and Alix 

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Omg I didn't think Alix was gonna make it. It's been so long as well.

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Hallway. Come quick. Alix wants to beat your ass.

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Omg I didn't think Alix was gonna make it. It's been so long as well.

**Codename Venomous**  
charming.

22:33 

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
Hey Nino, can you grab a bin bag out the kitchen?

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
I'm stood next to them, I can grab it? 

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
I'm stood with Mari though, better not

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
Ah. Better not then  
Nino you're up!

**Codename Turtle Power**  
on it.

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Dude, Marinette is proper staring at you, what did you do? 

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
o_o 

22:42 

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Adrien where are you?  
Adrien!  
Adriennnnnnn!?

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
What? 

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
Alix wants to play beer pong and I need a partner  
C'mon please  
I'm playing for my life here  
 She's like super good at this and I really suck and you are much better at it  
Please?

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
are you kidding me?  
You know what happened last time I played it 

**Codename Hero-lustrator**  
You suck  
I won't let you throw the ball into ivan's glass this time  
And I def won't let you freak out mylene by telling everyone that it was actually a glass eye and you weren't sure who was missing one.  
Pls, I can see Alix roping Kim into this one im doomed

**Codename Radiant and Dreamy**  
Lmao give me five minutes  
I need liquid courage to face Alix and Kim in a team up.

22:55

**Codename Venomous**  
Alya, Sabrina keeps asking me why Marinette keeps staring at Adrien.  
Why does Marinette keep staring at Adrien? 

**Codenames are dumb nino**  
No idea  
Rose just asked me the same thing

**Codename Venomous**  
Interesting 

23:04

**Codename Turtle Power**  
Loool dudes.  
If anyone sees Bri, please return her to Félix asap.  
She's had more than two glasses of wine and you know how much of a flight risk that girl is  
He's been messaging everyone so I think she must have hidden in a cupboard somewhere lmao.

* * *

The party was in full swing, drinks were flowing, and Nino had the music blasting. People were dancing and playing games, and everyone looked to be having a good time. Even Alya had managed to relax as she stood catching up with her girls. Adrien had found that he was having a genuinely good time as well, however badly Alix and Kim had thrashed him and Nathaniel at beer pong, and there had been enough people around him constantly that he had barely managed to see Marinette, let alone cause any embarrassing incidents. He could feel himself swaying a little, so he hadn't bothered to move for a while, just standing by the window wondering what the hell Alix had mixed into the drinks earlier with his eyes closed as the lights flooded the room with different colours.

"Psssssst, Adrieeeeeen!"

Adrien didn't have any time to react before someone yanked him behind the curtain. A smallish girl with long blue-black hair and a wicked grin on her face clung onto his arms and attempted to tug the curtain back around them to hide.

"Bridgette?" He grinned down at her, "I think Felix is looking for you!" Bridgette put her finger to his lips, shushing him. She had picked a rather good hiding place for herself, Adrien was proud for he had no idea she had been stood right next to him, even with his keen senses. Naturally, though, he was quite a bit bigger than she was and her hiding place was ruined as there was no way the curtain would be able to fit around the both of them.

"He has to keep looking," she said, holding tightly to his arm for balance.

Adrien first met Bridgette Cheng in the lobby of the GABRIEL building when he had mistaken her for Marinette a few weeks after she had left. He tripped and spilt the lukewarm coffee he had been holding all over her shirt. As they snuck around in one of the wardrobe departments to find her something she could change into, he had explained how the mishap had occurred (minus the superhero secret identity part) and she found it so hilariously sad that they had ended up being friends ever since. The similarities between her and Marinette didn't stop at appearance either. Bridgette was into fashion and was currently partaking in the GABRIEL New Designer program a year ahead of Marinette, so she was in and out of the GABRIEL headquarters almost as much as he had to be.

He had actually been the one to introduce her to his second cousin, Félix, someone who he had never met properly until after the Papillon incident when his father's cousin had reached out. It turned out that Félix and Bridgette had attended the same school down in Nice but had lost contact with each other until one of Chloé's parties. Everything seemed to be working out pretty well for them both, and the two of them had just returned to Paris after spending a couple of weeks with Félix's parents in Austria.

"We should all go and grab coffee next time you are sober," Adrien whispered to her, playing into her hide and seek game. Bridgette grinned up at him.

"Yesssss," she said, her words slurring a little, "I would love that." She glanced to the side, peering around the edge of the curtain curiously before giving him a shrug and stepping closer to him. With a playful smile, she looped one arm around his neck.

"Bri? Wh… what are you doing?" he stuttered, looking down at her. There wasn't much space to push her away, and her grip on his neck was very strong for such a small person. Bridgette was a very tactile person, always hugging and holding hands with everyone, but this was a little too close for comfort.

"There is a girl over there who keeps staring at us," she said, placing her other hand on his chest, "I'm trying to figure out if it is because of you or me."

"By feeling me up?" Adrien hissed at her, stopping her hand's path south before it reached his stomach.

"I've always wanted to touch a supermodel, call this an excuse," Bridgette blew that off and turned her head curiously to the side, "did you feel that though? The temperature in here just dropped like five degrees."

He looked up, curious to see who she was talking about and, sure enough, Marinette was stood in the kitchen next to Alya, her eyes flicking between him and her glass with a frosty glare. Bridgette poked him in the cheek, and Marinette gripped her glass tighter, her knuckles turning white.

"What's her problem?" Bridgette asked, "do you know her? Is she a fan?"

"Oh her? That's just Marinette," he replied.

" _The_ Marinette?" Bridgette interrupted him, giving a little squeal of joy and clapping her hands together, "I get it now! She's so cute! And she's jealous as anything, just look at her."

"Nah she isn't," he said, "you are drunk and making things up, Bri."

"Maybe so," Bridgette grinned and grabbed her glass from the windowsill, downing what little remained in it in one gulp. Adrien took a sip of his own drink, having trouble keeping his eyes off Marinette. They made eye contact for a split second, and she quickly looked away, glowing down at her hands. "You should introduce me to her!"

"I should what now?" he sputtered.

"Introduce me!" I bet we would be great friends you know. We have so much in common and how cute would it be if I could be her mentor and study buddy?"

"No more alcohol for you," Adrien said, his expression a mixture of horror and alarm, "Alya's basically forbidden me from talking to her and causing a scene."

"I've had too much to drink," Bridgette said slowly with a sly smile, "so you are going to take me over to the kitchen and get me a glass of water and seeing as Marinette is standing there anyway, you can introduce us without a big mess!"

She grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him hard, catching him off balance and marching him over to the kitchen before he was able to protest about it much more. He looked around desperately for Félix, but his cousin appeared to have vanished for the time being. Before he knew it, he was stood awkwardly next to Marinette as Bridgette practically jumped into Alya's arms.

"Alyaaaaaaaaa," she cooed, "I missed you."

Alya laughed, hugging her back tightly.

"Aw Bri, I missed you too."

"Adrien and I are going for a coffee date soon, will you come?"

"I would love to, but I don't know if I will be able to if you keep suffocating me like this!" Alya pushed her off a little and placed a hand over her chest to catch her breath back. "Honestly Bri, do you forget that personal space is a thing?" Bridgette just laughed and let her go, linking their arms together.

"Introduce me to your friend then!" she said, turning back around to face Adrien, "Oh?" she looked confused, "where did she go?"

Adrien looked to the side of him and shrugged at Alya, he hadn't even noticed her slip away. Alya shrugged back, but both girls were soon distracted as Félix came over to them and grabbed hold of Bridgette from behind, locking his arms around her waist.

"Found you," he said, and Bridgette dissolved into giggles, sinking back into him, Marinette apparently already forgotten. Adrien had been around a drunk Bridgette often enough to know that Félix was unlikely to let her go and cause trouble now that he had a hold on her, so he quietly excused himself from the conversation, grabbed a glass of water and slipped into the bedroom for some quiet and fresh air.

He didn't see anyone else in there immediately, the music was immediately dulled when he shut the door, and he could hear the faint sounds of the baking show that the Kwamis had been binging on lately drifting from one of the cupboards. Not wanting to disturb them, he made his way further into the room and began to head over to the balcony.

Naturally, because how more cliché could his life possibly be at this point, there was Marinette stood looking into her purse and leaning against the white railings.

_Just got to be smooth, Agreste, you can do this._

Taking a deep breath, he walked out and stood next to her, leaning his elbows on the railings. It wasn't the balcony scene he had been dreaming of ever since he figured Marinette was Ladybug. That involved him dropping in on her own balcony as Chat Noir and having hot chocolate and bakery treats with her before sweeping her off her feet and going to somewhere romantic with a lot of candles and flowers, or something to that effect. But hey, one step at a time.

"I wondered where you had run off to," he said, for that was definitely smooth, "you lose something?

Marinette jumped and quickly closed her purse before he could sneak a look at what was in it, shaking her head adamantly.

"I just needed a breather," she said defensively.

"Same," he mused, running his fingers through his hair and searching for something else to say. Marinette didn't seem to offer anything, looking more at the doorway back into the flat and folding her arms across her chest. "Alya and Nino's place is nice though, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it suits them."

"I actually helped them pick it out, though Alya didn't let anyone enter until they had tidied all the boxes and things away afterwards," he continued, somewhat proudly.

"Oh? Did you think it was a good idea for them to get a flat in an area with a high crime rate such as this?" she replied coldly, without even missing a beat. "I mean as their friend, surely it would have been a better idea to talk them out of that one before they signed a six month contract, or did you just not think about that?"

Adrien winced, shaking his head.

"Nino and Alya can take care of themselves," he said weakly defending himself, "they are both pretty good at self-defence." Which was a little bit of an understatement considering on top of being literal superheroes, the five of them had martial arts training twice a week with a professional trainer for the fun of it.

"Of course, because that is all that matters," Marinette cut him off and turned and looked at him. "Isn't your girlfriend waiting for you inside? Maybe you should go and find her."

"Wait, girlfriend?" Adrien looked at her confused, but before he could get her to clarify, he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.

* * *

Messenger 

Chloé Bourgeois 

**Chloé Bourgeois**  
112 Emergency  
 Just got Police alert. Armed robbery poss. Hostages.  
 Alix has just drunk Nath under the table, literally. He just passed out, so I hope you are sober enough for this  
(side note: stop me from strangling Alix for making him do shots)  
Grab p and p will meet you out front. 

* * *

Adrien swore, not even looking at Marinette as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

"I have to go, Chloé needs me. Something about strangling Alix? It's a… thing…" he said, shuffling back into the room and opening the Kwami cupboard without even worrying about Marinette glaring at his back. Luckily his build blocked her view of what he was doing as he gestured for Plagg and Pollen to get into his pocket, not even questioning the little red figure that appeared to have joined them. He rushed from the room, slamming both the bedroom door and seconds later the apartment door behind him without even a second thought to a confused and frustrated Marinette left on the balcony behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading, and thank you for all the Kudos, Comments and Bookmarks. I am very grateful for everyone who took the time to read this!! 
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at [Miiiraculous](http://miiiraculous.tumblr.com)!! :D


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